The following pilot program begins with the June 29 voyage of the CARNIVAL LEGEND:

We will add a new dining option to enhance our already popular Total Choice Dining. On the Carnival Legend we currently offer our Classic Reserved Dining program: the Main Sitting (1), Second Sitting (3), our Casual Bistro Dining in the Lido restaurant, and the Supper Club.

We will add an Open Sitting dinner option (U) in the main restaurant. Guests selecting the Open Sitting dinner option will have the opportunity to dine in the main restaurant anytime between 5:30PM and 9:30PM. They will be able to pre-reserve their dining time by contacting a special number from their suite or stateroom. Alternatively, they will also be able to walk up to the dining room during those times and request to be seated.

Guests who pre-reserve our Classic Reserved Dining (CRD) options (Main & Second sitting) will not be able to reserve Open Seating times.

Guests who pre-reserve our Classic Reserved Dining (CRD) options (Main & Second sitting) will not be able to reserve Open Seating times.

I guess they don't want people doing what happens on Princess - having assigned seating but still being able to use Personal Choice when desired. And what exactly is "pre-reserve"? Is that like a pre-meeting?

Good point, Dave; Princess has pretty much painted themselves into a corner on this one. It wasn't a problem for First Sitting Traditional as that is still very much in demand. But we noticed people going back and forth from Second Sitting Traditional to Anytime almost at will. One night a table for 8 would be full; the next, 2; then 6 on the next. I sensed it was rather demoralizing to the wait staff on Second Sitting. And yet they didn't dare turn people away from Anytime--at least not yet.

I am not sure I like this idea of pre reserving floating in and out dining.
I love the dining rooms. I enjoy the people at my table, I enjoy the wait staff. I enjoy the food. I love the early seating, at my age it is bed time by the time we get finished with the late seating dining. And the dining rooms, with table mates that you get to know is one of my favorite memories on the ship.
I will stick with the regular dining room.
the floating dining time is the reason we wont consider norweign cruise line for a cruise

What was wrong with dining the way it always was on a cruise? Cruise popularity has only increased over time without all these dining options and specialty restaraunts (at additional cost). This was always one of the alluring parts of crusing. For me all this dining hassle is prone to make me look elsewhere for vacation options. I'm on vacation. I want to relax. I don't want to have to fight for reservations for everything. All this flexability seems to be complicating crusing beyond what it is worth. I don't think I would cruise on any line that didn't have standard dining room seating.